Control method and mechanism



Ma s, 1945.

H. J. MASTENBROOK EI'AL i I ,315, 3 CONTROL METHOD AND MECHANISM Filed Jan. 20, 1943 INVENTORS HENRY a: NASTEA/BEOOK a BENTON K-SWAIE'TWOUTnr Patented May 8, 1945 UNITED STATES "PATE N OFFICE CONTROL METHOD AND MECHANISM 'Henry J. Mastenbrook, Cleveland Heights, and Denton K. Swartwout III, University Heights, .Ohio, assignors to The Swartwont Company,

Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 20, 1943, Serial No. 472,966 1210laims. (01. 122-4512) This invention relates to a method and means for efiecting a controlsuch as the control of the flow of feed water to a boiler in response to changing conditions in and of the boiler. In some respects thistinvention may be'regarded as an. improvement upon the invention of Henry J.

Mastenbrook, contained in the United States Patent No. 2,1l2,572, issued March 29, 1938. In this specification we have illustrated and described a preferred. form of our invention in reference particularly to the controlof feed water to a steam boiler particularly in relationto the flow of steam therefrom and to the water level therein.

In controlling the flow of feed water to steam. boilers, the wide range of. conditions under which different boilers are operated bear on the desirability of the relationship between the rate of flow of feed water to the rate of flow of steam and provide a method and'means of controlling the flow of feed water in which great facility is afforded to bring. about whichever of the relationships of the rate of input of feed Water to the to theboiler water level.. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the boiler water level.

may not be permitted to rise above a height which might induce deleterious carry-over of water into the steam lines, nor should it be allowed to fall below a level which might injure the water tubes or the connections between such tubes and the steam drum. Within such ranges of variations,

however, it is sometimes desired that'the water level riseas the load increases maintaining or tending to maintain a substantially. constant mass of water in the boiler. operation and perhaps also other types of boilers are sometimes advantageously operated with the water level lowered as the load increases. It has been appreciated that this method of regulation has the advantage of building up. a reserve of heat during the conditions of low rating which is made available as the load increases. Still other conditions of operation and perhaps other types of boilers are advantageously operated with substantially constant water level throughout a wide range of loads and periods of change in load. Other circumstances and conditions invite that greater or controlling consideration be given to Other considerations of economical of construction and are readily the relation between the input of water andthe output of steam, sometimes demanding an a proach to constancyin their relationship regardless of changes in water level so long as the level does not vary beyond safe limits.

. In speaking above of the relation of the water level to the load, we have had in mind particularly the water level which is established after the change in the load has taken. place rather than the surges incident to the periodsof changing loads, albeit we are not unmindfulzof the surges as such'and the effect and control thereof. It is among the objects of ,ourinvention to outflow of steam and/or to the boiler water level that may be .desired for the kind of boiler to which the control is applied and/or the kind of use to which a boiler is put.

Another object is to provide for a balance and apportionment of burdens between load regulation and water level regulation which may be I regard to the rate o f outflow of steam therefrom and to the preservation of such a water level in the boiler drum as to protect the tubes leading thereinto and to prevent the carrying over of water into the steam outflow pipe. Other objects includeIthe-provision of a method and means for carrying out the foregoing objects which are adapted to a wide field of installation and service and are dependable under widely different con- I ditions of use.

The foregoing and other objects will be more fully apparent from the following description of our invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which is shown in'somewhat diagrammatic layout .the arrangement of illus- 'trative parts showing the essential relation of the novel means employed with which our method may be advantageously practiced.

apparatus embodying the invention.

It is convenient to illustrate and describe our invention in muchthesame environment as that in which the said Mastenbrook invention was I illustrated and described and for that reason reference is made to that prior patent for a fuller description ofthese environmental matters. shown in the drawing a boileror steam druml,

to which water tubes T lead,.is shown a's'having a feed water pipe I l and a steam outlet pipe "I4. Con-tro'lling the flow of feed water through the pipe ll is a feed water valve Ill] having a pressure diaphragm chambers ,in which valve opening.

pressures are developed against the force of a spring S ,which may be adjustably tensioned by a nut :N, tending to keep the. valve closed. .A fluid The single figure of the drawing illustrates an c pressure generator 2, which for thesake of illustration may be of the type described in the Copley Patent No. 1,193,125, is connected by swivel joints and conduits 5, preferably in themanner taught in the Mastenbrook Patent No. 1,923,320, between points 3 and 4, respectively, above and below the boiler water level W. As is well known in the art such a thermo responsive device with appropriate .radiatingfins as shown and with a filling plug 6, is, when exposed to steam in its inner tube in response to a lowering of the water level W of the boiler drum I, influenced tobuild upa fluid pressure which is carried to the pressure chamher 9 of the valve II] by the conduit 8 tending to open the feed water valve in response to a lowering of the boiler water level. a s I The water level W as shown is intended to be at about the medium or average. level desired, I i. e., about midway ofthe gauge glass G. We

have shown this level somewhat above the middle of the generator .2, indicating that we prefer, in

apportioning the. ordinary duties and burdens between this generator and the load responsive generator I2, to give the greater burden to the latter, while preserving enough capacity in the generator 2 both above and below the level Wto avoid deleterious departures of thewater level from safe limits. I

Following in a general way the teaching of the prior Mastenbrook Patent No. 2,112,572 and differing therefrom and improving thereupon in the manner about to be described, we have provided a load responsive means or regulator to influence the opening of the feed water valve III in response to changes in boiler load. In the steam outlet pipe I4 is'positioned a fixed orifice or orifice plate I3 across which there will be a substantial and measurable pressure drop varying in a determinawhich may follow generally'the Copley patent- .ble relation'to the rate of flower steam from the I boiler. In selecting the orifice I3' we follow the teaching of the prior Mastenbrook patent ;inproviding that the orifice offer a little more than enough resistance to safely make available all the pressure drop required for the various exigencies of control to bemore fully described. It

will become evident as this description proceeds that the desired amount of pressure drop across the orifice I3 willbe substantially.inconsequential in terms of delivery of steam from the boiler.-

Generally speaking, the pressure drop acrossan orifice such as the orifice I3 will increase subduits I5 and 24 shutoff Valves I? and 2I are pro-' vided. Within the conduit Eat the left or upstream end as shown in the drawing, we provide a needle valve V through which, preferably. to the exclusion of'the valves II and 2I, we throttle the flow of steam, through the whole bridgetor I shunt circuit B. Down-streamer the needle or throttle valve V 'isa T I6 from which is taken on a bypass circuit'C, leading into the conduit 24 through the T23. Between the Ts I6 and 23 in the conduit '25 preferably is a fixed orifice 26, the drop across which" will substantially measure the drop between the T's I6 and 23 and hence across the bypass circuit. The bypass circuit comprises essentially the inner tube or conduit I8 of' the fluid pressure generator I2,

above referred to, comprising the inner tube I8 witlrthe outer shell 30 spaced therefrom except where it has fluid tight connections at its end and as taught in the Copley patent has appropriate heat radiating fins 3 I, a filler plug 32 and adjacent its lower end, an appropriate connection for the conduit 21 leading tothe diaphragm chamber 9 of the valve II]. Through appropriate unions the generator conduit I8 is attached to the T I6 at its upper end and at its lower end to the conduit I9 which in turn connects with the condensate reservoir .;22 which also has appropriate heat radiatingfins affording a cold water leg for the generator system. Overflow from the reservoir 22 drains into the conduit 24 through the T connection 23. It will be observed that the water level WW maintained by the reservoir 22 is positioned somewhat below the uppermost part of the generator I2. I

The generator I2 departs from prior practice. in its curved construction as shown in the draw,- ing, being disposed with its lower end lying substantially vertical and with its upper end-lying substantially horizontal, and with the axis of its upper end elevated to lie substantially 'at the level L somewhat above the condensate level WW to develop a standby pre-load to be more fully described. With the generator so constructed and positioned, it'will be seen that when the-generators arefilled with fluid and the system is in operation, that is, when the ,valves H, V, and H are open and even when the boiler is merely standing by, i. e., when there is substantially no pressure drop acrossthe orifices I3 and 26; steam will enter the generator I2 within the conduit I8 down to the condensate level WW creating and building up a standby pressure in the generator I2. Under standby conditions, assuming the water level in the boiler to be at the level W it-will, be seen that both the generators 2 and I2 are contributing to the standby pressure in the .generator system aS a whole including the valve III closed so long as no steam, flows out of the boiler.

diaphragm chamber 9, and that any change in either of the levels W or, WW will be very promptly reflected in the pressure in the diaphragm chamber 9 since the load responsive generator I2 as well as the Water level responsive generator 2 are bothactive in heating and boiling the generator fluid during the standby condition. Of course, the tension in the spring S in the feed water valve is adjusted under these conditions through the nut N to keep the feed water ,As load comes on the boiler, i. e., as steam begins to flow through the pipe I I, steam will also tend to fiow' through the shunt circuit B at a rate depending primarily on the pressure drop across the orifice I3 and the opening of the needle 1 valve V and secondarily on the line loss throughthe shunt circuit including the orifice 26. Since the latter factors are substantially constant, the fiow through the shunt circuit I in its relation to the drop across the orifice I3 can be controlled by adjustment by the needle valve V. As steam tendsto flow through theshunt circuit pressure in the 1'- I6 will rise in relation tothe pressure'int he T 23 because of the resistence of the o'rifice 26 and this differential in pressure will cause a loweringof the condensate level in the inner tube I8 in the generator I2 in creasing the steaming areaof the generator and inducing higher generated pressures in the diaphragm chamber 9 so long as theefiort of the generator 2 remains constant or at least *does not relax more than the effort of the'generator l'2 increases. 'i

As shown in the drawing and-mentioned above,

the generator I'2 has its long axis curved substantially in the form of a quadrant in the form which we prefer. In this form a much, greater arbitrarily defined in relation to :the 1 capacity or the generator I! other than topointout that tin nance of or dissipationof pressure in the diavolume of generator surface is'exposed'for each increment of drop of the -icondensate level WW in the upper or more nearly horizontal portions of the generator than in the lower'or more nearly vertical portions. Since, however, the pressure drop across the orifice I 3 increases roughly as the square of the velocity of the steam flowing therethrough, the curved contour and disposition of the generator l2 in the association described tends to give substantiallyequal or at least desirable related added increments of generated pressure in proportion to increments'ofincrease of the rated now of steam from the boiler.

We arecogriizanti of the build upf in the spring S and the elfects of the inherent stiffness of the diaphragm andithe more or less compensatory shape of well known valve ports,'which, taken with the fact thatthe relation of the'drop across the orifice l3 maywell not 'be'exactly equal to the square of the steam 'velocity therethrough, present a group of factors that could be balanced with theoretical nicety against'the precise curvature of the generator 12 so that for each increment of increase of outflowof steam" to the pipe I4 an identical increment of'increase in the flow of feed water through'the pipe ll might be had. For most practical purposes within our "phra'gm'chamberil to influencethe valve Ill-in a manner to prevent the water level W from ceeding dangerously high OPIOW limits;

I 3 Since the needle or throttle valve V controls the flow through the shunt circuit '3 it will'be, understood that this flow may be so res'tri'cted that even when the boiler is under full load the 7 level of condensate in the tube l8of the generator I2 may be restrained to fall only a small amount or not at all. Under the latter condition @11 0:

the burden of regulation would fall on the {generator 2 and under the former condition most of the regulation'would be under the control of the generator 2. For the same reasons asthe needle valve V is adjusted to a position of greater opening permittinga greater flow through the-shunt circuit B, so will the condensate level in the tube L8 be depressed in greater amounts for relatively lesser boiler loads. orifices l3 and-26,'we prefer-for these reasons toselect orifices of such sizes that at leastwhen the needle valveV is'wide open the condensate level inthe tube I8 may be depressedto the full depth of the generator l2 a little prior to the condition'of -fu1l boiler load, thus insuring with a reasonable marginof safety as wide a range of characteristics of regulation as maybe desir'ed experience, the generator shaped as a quadrant and disposed substantially asshown and described 0 substantially balance'sout these various factors where the valve ID has its ports "so shaped as to tend to give substantially equal increases in 'flow under equal increases ingpressurein the diaphragm ohamber9,fassuming that the'head' df feed water in front ofthe valve and/or the pres sure drop across the valve is maintained sub-- 'sitive instrumenta'litiessuch as master-controls or pilot valves may receive. the generated pressure and in turn control independent pressure or energy sources for movingthe feed Water valve or other controlledinstrumentality;

In the preferred form of our "invention, 1 the capacityof the generator I2 is such that when the condensate is forced fdownrintothe tube 18 from the level WW to that lowest level in or below the generator where the full pressure and work of the generator is developed that 'a little more.

than enough fluid will'be forced through the conduit 21 into the diaphragm chamber'9 to move the valve l 0 to its wide open position. We prefer;

as above mentioned that this capacity produce a little more than enough fluid-since we desire that this extra amount of fluid be available to move into the generator 2 through; the conduit 8 to raise the level of fluid therein as against the internal pressure being developed within the generator 2 at least under some conditions to jbe more fully discussed below. The actual capacity or displacement of the generator 2 need not be in any installation. For these reasons it will be understood that adjustment of the valve V through a wide range of positions will give broad facility in causing the regulation as-a whole to respond in greater -or.less' proportions to the steam flow effect relative tothe water level effect.

j Let us assume for example, that the boiler is steaming at half load'with-thewater level W substantially as shown, with the needle valve V 'in' a median position and the level-of the condensate in the tube 18 depressed somewhat below thelevel'WW. As an increase in load comes, as from 50% to 60% rating, oneim rnediate effect 'willbe that the condensate level will fall inthe tube l8, inducinggreatereifort from'the gen- I erator l2, tendingtoincrease the pressure in the diaphragm chamber 9 and increasing the open- 'ing of'thevalve It. 'Atthe same time-therewis generally a surge upwardly-of the water levl W during the period of change-inload whichtends' to be augmented by the increased input of feed 1 water. "Both of these factors tend to lift the "level Wand chill the generator- 2 and reducethe pressure in the diaphragmchamber 9. We thus have immediate opposing tendencies'as-between' the generators! and I2 in their influences upon;

:the opening of the feed water valve Hi, the generator 2'oppo'sing the opening and the generator I2 I encouraging it.

By adjustment of the needle valve V propor-' "tionately greater or lesser influence may be caused to be exertedbyfthegenerator l2so that 7 its tendency to open the feed valve 1-0 canyon the one handmore than offset the tendency of the generator 2to' close the val ve and on th'e other handcan'beconstrained to merely-bal- .ance or do less thanofiset that tendency} We do not deem it desirable that the influence of the generator '2 be lost, since this mightle'ad to In selecting the size of the f the two generators.

I limits of safety abovementioned.

control as a whole. V-;;is set to maintain a substantially constant boiler'water level as at W at steady loads from "dangerously high or low boiler waterlevels. How

ever, by preserving enough influence from the generator 2 to prevent, danger to the boiler and' by.,using-as much or. little, influence from-the generatorjlZ as is desired through adjustment of thevalvev, it' will be seen thatan increased flow of feed water may be had as soon as the load increases in spite of an initial upsurge of the level W, or the increase in feed maybe wholly or. partly delayed. as may be desired. After the period of change of load passes and the boiler settles down to a steady flow at an increased rate, as the example above, and the several immediate influences of and upon the generators 1 have been resolved, the boiler water level will be- Y come established at a height related to the initial level -W depending upon the relative influence It will be seen that the adjustment of the valveQV will continue to have its influence tending, to hold the boiler water level .as high-or as. low as maybe desired fora steady conditionof increased rating within the I Since by the means we have provided 'it is practicable, essentially by adjustment of the valveiv, to induce higher or lower boiler water 1 levels as the'load increases, or to do the same thing as the ,loaddecreases, it is equallypracticable to maintain a substantially constant Water level, from no load to full load by adjusting the valve V to a. median position. It will also response. In this Way the change in rate of. feed clined more,

tical, to beffast in its response, any up-surge of boiler water level will have a relatively greater effect in tending to close the feed valve 10 than v were the generator 2 inclined more nearly the,

vertical than the horizontal, to be slow in -its will lag behind the change in load in greaterdegree while the load is changing as the generator 'followsas the generator 2 is inclined to a slower -2 is inclined to a more fast response to an upsurge in the boiler water level. The converse reaction.

be understood that in speakingof increases in I load and the effect thereof that converse efiects result from decreases in load and that the same kind of control maybe had by thesame kind of adjustment. r

J It-will thus be seen that we have within the precepts of our invention provided a control for the regulation-of the flow of feed water through which can be practiced any number of specified With this facility of degrees of ffast or slow. responses to the effect of the changes in boiler water level and'the facility withwhich the load responsive factors can be increased or decreased through adjustment of the valve V, it will be appreciated that substantially any desired character or kind of regu- I lation can be had and maintained by the simple adjustments provided.

While we have illustratedand described a preferred form of apparatus for practicing our inerence for the use of the pressure generator of the-Copley type, we do notmean to exclude other instrumentalities which respond by force and motion to the change of steam and condensate level in the environment thereof. While We have illustrated our. generator system as connected I directly to the diaphragm chamber ofa'feed water valve, we do not exclude the. connection of i '1 the generator systemto a pilot valve or master methods of regulation in terms of the relation 7 of the flow of feed water to the outflow of steam and the water level desired to be maintained in the boiler. The influence of the boiler load regardless of degree andregardless of the amount 7 'of:load, whether very great orvery small, is felt promptly, if not instantly by the preloading of the generator I2. The steam flow effect in its .relative dominance of the control as a whole maybe altered and adjusted at will throughthe needle valve V and may be constrained toconform within any reasonably desired accuracy to be in direct proportionto the load through the curvature of thegenerator l2. and its disposition in'space. and in its relation to the characteristicspftheorifices l3 and 2B. The influence of the water level controlimay bemodified on the one hand, and as Weprefer, to play an increasingpart by the relative decrease'in the influence of the load control as by throttling the flow through the valve V.

On theqother hand the influences of the water level control may be modifledas by changing the heights and angular disposition of the gen erator 2 through the connections 5 as is known in the art and these adjustments taken with the adjustment of the valve V gives additional refinement-in the details and particulars of the For example if the valve no load to full load, then through the inclination of the generator Z the rate of flow of feed water 'Zduring the periods of change in load can beadditionally influenced. (Withthe generator 2 ,in-

' mechanicalwhiflletree'or other interconnections control or other intervening instrumentalities which in turn may be advantageously used to control the feed water valve. While wehave illustrated and shown a preference for connecting the water level and load responsive generators together in a common fluid system, we do not exclude the -use,of.separate fluid systems with interposed between such systems and the feed water .valve or the pilot or master control'for the feed water vvalve. Other changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofjour invention,

and we do not care to be limited .to the preferred I form'sof'method and apparatus herein described I or many manner other than by the claims appended hereto. r

Icl'aimy. 1. The method; of controllingthe flow of .feed

water to a steam boiler whichconsists in the ,generationof a force which influences the flow of feed water positively as the boiler water level falls and negatively as the boiler water rises, generating asecond force which influences the flow of. feed water positively as the boiler load increases and negatively as the boiler load decreases-maintaining both said forces in substan-.

tial value before loadis placed upon-the boiler and while the boiler waterlevel lies at a desired height, .and opposing said forces with a third force in amount sulficient te -prevent the input offeed water. until steam flows from the boiler.

2. The method of controlling the flow of feed water to a' steam .boiler which consists in the generation of a, force-which influences the-flow 'of feed: water positively as the boiler water level falls and, negatively-asthe boiler water rises,

nearly the horizontal than the verchoice between difierent en rating a second or e wh h nfl ences t flow of feed Water positively as the boilerload increases andnegatively asithe boiler load decreases, maintaining both said forcesrin substantial amount before load is placed upon, the boiler, opposing said forceswith a third force inamount sufficient to preventthe input of feed water'before load is placed on the boiler, and. thereafter causing said ,second named force toincrease in a predetermined'relation to the rate at. which said first named forcedecreases at least during an initial period of increasein load and risein water level.

3.- The method'of controlling the new of feed:

water to a steam boiler which consists in the generation of a force which influences the flow of feed water positively as the boiler water level falls and negatively as the boiler water rises, generating a secondforce which'in fiuences the flow of feed water positively. as the boiler load inwith said means and adapted to exert'increase ing valve opening influences as said condensate level falls, said regulator having a portion disposed at a higher level than the maximum condensatelevel and being energized while no steam -is flowing from the boiler, and means yieldably holding said valve closed until. said condensate level departs from said maximum level.

'7. The combination of a boiler having a steam outlet, means associated with said outlet maintaining 21. condensate level varying-in height from maximumto minimumin inverse relation substantially inproportion to an exponential function ofthe rate of flow of steam from said boil 91,31111. a feed Water regulatorassociated with creases and negatively asQ-the boiler loadde-- I creases, maintaining said second forces in substantial amount before load is .placedupon the boiler, opposing said forces with athird force in. amount only suficient -"to; prevent the input of feed water before load is placed on the boiler, thereafterwcausing said-rsecond gnamed force to increas'eina predetermined relation to the rate at which said first named force decreases duringa period of increase in load and rise in water level, and causing said first force to be modified as theboiler load reaches a, constant value to the point where the sum of the first twoforces.

induces an'input of feed water equal to the output of steam and the maintenance of a predetermined boiler water level. a

4. The method of controlling the flow of boiler feed water which consists in generating forces of increasing magnitude as the boiler load increases and in response to the increase in load and directing such forces to the opening ofa feed water valve, diminishing such forces as the boiler load decreases to restrict the flow of feed water, andpermitting the feed valve to close while maintaining such forces at a substantial value under the condition of no load on the boiler and at a value but just less than enough to open water valve, diminishing such forces in the same.

way as the boiler load decreases to restrict the flow of feed water, and closing the feed valve while maintaining such forces at a substantial value under the condition of no load on the boiler and at a value but'just less than enough to open said valve so that the effect of a small initial increment of boiler load will augment the existing forces tending to open said valve and induce an input of boiler feed water in prompt response to the initial increment of boiler load and in proportion thereto. v

6. The combination of a boiler having a steam outlet, means associated with said outlet maintaining a condensate level varying in height from maximum tominimum ininverse relation to the rate of flow of steam from said boiler, aQfeed saidmeans andadapted to exert increasing feed valve opening influences as said condensate level falls, said regulator being of curved*configura-- tion and disposed to exert greater influencesper 'unit'rof fall of condensate at low rates of steam flow than at-higher rates.

8. The combination of a boilerhaving outlet, means associated with said outletmttintaining a condensate level varying in height from maximum to minimum in inverserelation sub stantially in proportion to an exponential function of: the rate of flow of steam from said boiler",

andrat feed water regulator associated withasjaid' P meanszandxadapted to exert increasing feed fvalve: opening influences as. said conden'satelevel falls,

said regulator having a portion disposed at a higher level than the maximum condensate level and beingen'ergized while no steam is flowing from the boiler, and said regulator being of curved configuration and disposed with its upper part approaching the horizontal and its lower part approaching the vertical.

9. The combination of a boiler having a steam outlet, means associated with said outlet maintaining acondensate level varying in height from maximum to minimum in inverse exponential relation tothe rateof flow of steam from said boiler, a feed water valve, and a feed water-regulatorincluding' a pressure generator associated with said means andadapted to exert increasing valve opening influences as said condensate level I falls, said generator having aportion disposed at a higher level than the maximum condensate level and being energized while no steam is floW- 4 ing from the boiler, and saidv generator being curved, and. disposed with its upper part more nearly level than its lower part. I i

10.In a boiler feed water system the combination of means responsive to the rate of outflow of steam for influencing the rate of input of feed water and means responsive to variations in boiler water level for influencing the rate of input of feed water, said first named means comprising a fluid. pressure generator disposed in a part of the steam'system and influenced by a pressure differential across a fixed resistance. tothe flow of steam from the boiler which differential varies as an exponential function of the rate of flow of steam from the boiler, said pressure generator being curved and disposed with respect to the vertical and horizontal in a manner in which increments of said pressure differential cause the generation of. greater pressures at the lower'boiler loads than do like increments at the higher boiler loads whereby the rate of change of generated pressure is in substantially direct proportion to the rate of change of boiler load throughout substantially the Whole range ofboiler loads, said feed water level responsive means water valve, a feed water regulator associated a steam having substantially li miited influence to change the rate of flow-of ,feedwater into the boiler.

11. In a boiler;feed watrlsystem'thecombination of a load control and a boiler water'lev'el control both influencing the rateof flow of reed water, the load control comprising a curved pressure generator disposed .inf apart of the steam system which 'isshunted around afixed orifice the pressure drop across which, varies substantially as the squareoi the rate of fiow'of' steam from: the boiler through said orifice and .said curved generator being connectedin said shunt v ed system in a bypass with acondensate reservoir whereby the level of condensate in said gen erator rises to a maximum when'no steam is flowingthrough said orifice and is depressed in said enerator to a minimum; level at full boiler load, saidgenerator having. a portion thereof embracing the-lower condensate levels standing substantially'vertical and havingits upper po'rr tions curving toward the horizontal and having its uppermost portion disposed above themaxil. 2 In-a boiler v feed water control systernthe combination ofja feed water valve, means re sponsive to fluid pressures for opening said valve,

) means associated'with said first named means -for adjustably' resisting the force'oi said pres-.

sures'to hold said valve closedagainst less than a determinable minimum pressure, a fluid pres- I sure generator associated with the steam outlet;

from the boiler in a'shunt systemjwithin which a steam and condensate column falls'within said" generator in response to increases; in load onsaid boiler, said generator being disposed to have-a portion above said condensate level wherebyto develop a standby pressure before steam flows from said boiler, a second fluid pressure gen 'erator associated with the steam drum of the boiler and spanning the water leveltherein and embracing a'steam andeondensate column rising u and] falling With the boiler waterlevel and alsoeneratinga standby pressure beforesteam flows from the boiler, connections fromboth said'generators for transmitting said generated pressures muin condensate level," said'boiler "water level control comprising pressure generator means of smaller utilized volumetric'capacity than said first mentioned generator and disposed in'ielationto' said boiler water level ata level conducive tioned' generator throughout substantially the wholerangeof'boiler loads. V t 5 to the doing of less workthan said first menspectively.

a J-"MAS CK/ I11 BENTON K-QSWABTWOUT 1 1-5. 

